Wind And More Wind

Mike Brubaker writes:

We have over two weeks of cold windy weather. It started in mid-April around the time of the big wind storm. At the time we heard that ocean temperatures were creating windstorm conditions usually associated with fall. That is when the winds usually start blowing. But we are getting day after day of windy conditions. The idea of wind storms corresponding with green up and melt-related high waters is concerning and a recipe for disaster. See photo of the cottonwood windfall in Little Rabbit Creek. I think most people in Anchorage have had enough of the wind, dust, and interruptions to spring school events and other activities. The wind finally stopped yesterday and by evening we had snow. Disheartening for some, but a welcome relief from the wind.

This post has been shared with the NOAA National Weather Service Alaska Region.

Rick Thoman with the National Weather Service Alaska Region (consult) writes,

Weather impressions are often wrong, but not this time. The average hourly wind speed at Anchorage Airport from April 15 to May 5 was 10.7mph. This the highest average wind speed for this period since 1998 and 47% higher than last year (when the average hourly speed was 6.6mph).

And in relation of the wind storm on April 24th, Rick Thoman wrote:

Winds this strong in the Anchorage are rare at this time of year. An unusually strong storm for the season in the southeastern Bering Sea produced southeast strong winds blowing across the Chugach Mountains. However, being April, the temperature profile of the atmosphere close to the ground was more conducive than in winter for allowing the very strong winds aloft to reach down to the ground.